Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Insects of Cedar Creek

Order DIPTERA

Family EPHYDRIDAE

(Shore Flies)

(Table of Species)

Most Shore Flies (426 NA spp) have aquatic/semi-aquatic larvae that are saprophages? while a few are leaf-miners in plants. Most adults are found near water, but a few are routinely collected in fair numbers in old field sweeps. Most of the adults can be recognized by their bulging faces. Three subfamilies are recognized:  Psilopinae, Notiphilinae, Ephydrinae.

More than 20 species have been collected at Cedar Creek but this number would easily double with serious (i.e. knowledgable) collecting. Species associated with upland fields are Philygria (debilis, posita) and Nostima scutellaris. Others are routinely collected along pond and lake shores. Ochthera anatolikos has large raptorial forelimbs, and Dichaeta caudata is a black bristly fly. Species with large gaping mouths include Coenia curvicauda, Notiphila spp, Paracoenia spp, Parydra spp, Setacera spp, and Scatella spp. Others collected include Axysta cesta(shiny BK), Psilopa sp (shiny GR), Hydrellia spp, Hyadina spp, Athyroglossus?, Diclasiopa lacteipennis, Ilythea sp, Leptopsilopa sp, Lytogaster sp, Trimerina madizans............I thank Phil Clausen for identifying many of these specimens.

jhaar@lter.umn.edu Last updated May, 2000